Training Log Archive: kissy

West Point Long Brown on Camp Shea map. 4.0km

Much better run today. Since I was pretty much last after the middle, I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying to push it. Right from the start, there was a route choice to #1, which was a long leg. I looked over to the hill and the swamp and the green crap, and decided to take the road to the intermittent trail (which wasn't so easy to find initially). At 1:7500, that wasn't too much out of the way, and when I saw a lot of folks wandering around looking for #1, I was glad I went the safer way.

#2 was fine; a little slow to #3 mainly because of the blueberry and the hill. Ran along the ridge to the trail for #4 because when I saw that the straight-line route went right back into the blueberry, I said, "No thank you."

The rest of the controls were fine. I had caught up to Bob Lux at #1 and then had him in sight until #8. He took the left route to #9 and I took the right one, and he made the better choice.

I managed to pass Mary today and for overall, so I didn't feel like such a loser...like I did after the middle. I just need to make sure I'm ready to focus at the start of each race...sometimes I'm a little too social at the start.

Long - Brown - Splits

In between events, Brooke and I checked out the new West Point Visitor's Center opened in December 2017. It was really well done, telling a little about the history of West Point, but mainly about being a cadet there. It was very interesting.





Then we went to the Bear Mountain Cafe and Bakery, where we found Jeff and Judy! And had a little bite to eat and a treat for later. Quite an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

West Point Middle on Victor Constant ski slope. 3.0 km.

So, this was less than stellar. I was just hesitant from the start and I definitely didn't need to be. #1 and #2 were slower than they should have been, #3 and #4 were fine. I started on the road to 5, looking for the trail but completely missed it so I went too far down the road and had to backtrack to the control. I contoured out to the road for #6 and ran down the road until I saw the control. That was definitely the right choice for me because going down steep, rocky hills is not my forte.

#7 was where I bit it. I turned onto the trail from the road but went just a tad too far and then I still headed downhill, which I should not have done. I just didn't match up the rocky, bouldery ground with the map. Then I saw a control on a boulder and I knew it was too far away but I checked it anyway. Then I misguessed which boulder it was and continued to look too low for mine. I finally looked up the hill and saw another control on a boulder, but was convinced that it was too high up on the hill. But, since there were no other controls in sight, I climbed up to take a look. And, of course it was mine. And then I said a bad word.

Contoured to #8 and was a little too low again, but saw it right away. Took the longer route around the fence on the way to the finish control. So, not a satisfying run at all.

C • #7 1

West Point Sprint on Trophy Point map. 2.32km

So. Much. Fun.

This really was a fun sprint even though it was raining/graupeling for much of the time. I was running well and only got mildly tricked a few times. Nothing that wasted more than a few seconds, at most, each time. And what fun finishing inside a building, with a true sprint to the finish in Lane 7!

Middle - BrownX - Splits

Sprint - Brown - Splits

After a day of waiting for a locksmith to help me get into my locked garage, I was so ready to go to my running group. Tonight was just an easy run for 40 minutes.

Yes, through a series of mistakes and misunderstandings on my part, I locked myself out of my garage, which has no other doors or windows. So, I had to call a locksmith, miss work, miss a dentist appointment, wait all day, and pay $147 to get back in. But now I know what I did wrong and I also know every detail about my garage door opener!

Today we ran hills with the running group. And the hill was practically in my back yard, so I just took the trails and met the group at the hill.

We ran fast down, easy up; easy down, fast up; and then fast everywhere. My knees held up pretty well, even with all of the downs.

body pump

I walked the Brown course with Jennifer Laughlin to help her get acclimated to East coast orienteering. I think it's quite different from Houston!

As we walked along, she would say how she would take the next control and then I would suggest a few options. We talked about aiming off and catching features, and a few other tools. I had a good time...I hope she found it helpful.

Also, Jennifer and Jordan have been a godsend when it comes to OUSA's technology. I thought I knew some stuff, but they blow me away. They stepped up and volunteered to take on cleaning up all of the systems we use, move our website to an easier to use platform that doesn't require hiring a contractor to maintain it, get us on more secure servers that are cheaper, and so much more. And...all of this is volunteer work. OUSA is saving money and getting a better tech environment. Honestly, all of the volunteers in OUSA are so incredible!

C • Thank you!!! 3

Brown - Splits

Running Group. We did "cut downs" where we ran 1200m at threshold pace, 800m a little faster, and then 400m even faster. And, again, we ran in the direction where there's a hill at the start of the run.

The first two parts felt fine, but at the top of the hill on the 400m, I felt it in my quads, big time. Probably was a bit too much after the races this weekend, but I was glad I got out.

Jr. Nationals Day 2.

Another great day. I made a less than stellar route choice to #10 -- I got flustered going through the spectator control in the field. I also missed #11 by a bit...I was on the wrong side of the dark green clumps, so I didn't see the control until after I passed it and looked back.

Day 2 - Long - Brown - Splits

Jr. Nationals Day 1.

I navigated very cleanly today. Aimed off on some of the point controls so I'd know which way to turn. Everything on the map just seemed to click. Felt like I was slowing down at the end, mainly due to the heat. Not used to that yet.

So happy to take the top spot on Brown! Just what I needed for a little morale boost. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

C • Day 1 6

Day 1 - Middle - Brown - Splits

With the running group.

I went into orienteering mode on my way home from work. I saw an older couple in the parking garage, and they looked very confused. They kept walking up and down the rows, so, just like I do when I see bewildered young children out in the woods, I went up to them and asked, "Are you okay? Do you know where you are?"

It turns out they were completely lost. In the completely wrong garage...a parallel error. I set them straight and sent them on their way.

Running group. We ran a relay of 400m in a very convoluted fashion. In the end, we ran several legs, so it was kind of interval-ish.

It was the first warm, humid night with a light sprinkle.

Another full day in the yard. More raking leaves and pulling weeds. Also, I decided that I don't want to look at english ivy every time I look out of my kitchen window. I'd rather look at phlox or vinca.

So, I put on long sleeves, long pants, boots and gloves, and started attacking the ivy. After cutting and clearing out most of the long vines, I was able to find the source plants and dig them out. It was a little difficult because of the steepness of the slope. I didn't get it all, but I'll keep working on it. I also know that it will take ongoing vigilance to keep pulling any new vines over time.

C • Vinca 3

Body Pump. We started a new release today. It is not a favorite.

Body Pump

I worked from home today because my boss was out of town and I had a few doctor appointments. When I came home, around 2:00, I noticed my front door was unlocked, which was strange but not impossible. When I got inside, though, I noticed there were trash bags on the floor and several lights were on. WTH?

So I called out and a woman answered from my bathroom. Then I realized that she was part of a 2-woman cleaning crew, cleaning my house. However...I never ordered that. So, we tried to clear it up. I thought they might have still been under contract with the old owners, or maybe the old owners ordered a cleaning meant for their new house, but the crew came here. And how did they still have the keys to this house??

Well, it turns out that they were supposed to go to my neighbor's house, and their instructions were that the keys would be under the flower pot. Well, I keep some keys under my flowerpot, which they found and let themselves in. And had proceeded to clean about half of my house.

When we finally figured it out, the woman was mortified and then very scared. She begged me not to say anything to her company, and I assured her I wouldn't. I felt really bad for her. They hightailed it out of there and went next door. And now I have a semi-cleaned house.

C • omg 9

We ran "hills" in the running group. It was actually a ramp at the top of a parking garage. The hard surface was rough on my knees, so I couldn't go hard down hill, but otherwise it was fine.

Gary Clark Jr. played a Tiny Desk concert today, and he was phenomenal. It was also funny because he was talking about how he brought his young son on tour with him and how tired he was.

He said, "I'm trying to do the whole Dad thing but, people...I am exhausted!"

Then he sang Pearl Cadillac, which he wrote for his mother, and he said that next time he was going to bring her on tour, too, to be the babysitter.

With my running group. So, tonight was intervals and I opted to do 3/1 intervals, like I did last Thursday. However, I realized tonight that I wasn't doing 3/1 last week, I was doing 2/1. I just had in my head the 3 so I was going groups of 3, which meant it was 2/1. I guess I suck at time.

Also, I was completely duped TWICE today for stupid April Fool's Day. I hate feeling like an idiot.

C • Greenspan! 5

C • April Fool's Day 4

After running.